Tommasi

Rich, deep ruby red colour with brownish edges. A playful nose of dried roses, liquorice, ripe plums, blackberries and chocolate. Subtly medicinal on the finish. Full-bodied on the palate, ripe plums and dates, with rich chocolate savouriness, noticeable, grippy tannins and a slightly savoury finish.

The colour is opaque purple, and the nose is a mix of black cherry and wild strawberry balanced by a freshness of acidity, medium-weight drying tannins, and spicy but subtle oak. The wine ages effortlessly and need not be touched until 2029. The Italians do a great job of pairing this style of wine with duck, wild game, or a rare beef burger or steak. The Tommasi flagship Amarone is a trip back in time but with an updated engine. The handpicked grapes undergo extensive drying for up to 90 days to intensify flavours, followed by a month of stainless steel fermentation using wild yeast before aging for 36 months in full and half size Slavonian oak barrels. The grape mix is corvina veronese 50%, rondinella 30%, corvinone 15% and oseleta 5%. The fruit comes from two areas in the Classico zone: one is mostly limestone; the other is a mix of clay and limestone. Both are subjected to cool breezes off Lake Garda.Anthony Gismondi